Patil on Wednesday signed the amendment to the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Remains and Sites Act, 1958, which envisages ban on construction in the prohibited area of the ASI-protected monument.
The amendment increases penalty for the violators, who shall now be punishable with imprisonment not exceeding two years or fine, which may extend to Rs. 1 lakh or both.
Even the government cannot push for any infrastructure project in the prohibited area.
According to the Act, a protected monument will have a ‘prohibited area’ of minimum 100 metres, which can be more. There would be no more construction allowed in this area; but only repairs for basics such as water and sanitation. It also allows no horizontal or vertical expansion.
There would be a further 200 metres of regulated area. Construction in this area could be possible but it’d be strictly according to heritage bylaws.
The Act also provides for monument-specific bylaws. “Till bylaws come into existence, all construction activity freezes across India,” Jawahar Sarkar, Secretary (Culture) told HT.
Creation of NMA
The Act also provides for creating a new National Monument Authority (NMA), which would first work towards categorisation of the monuments and would be the ultimate authority in granting